During her privilege speech delivered at the House of Representatives on March 20, in commemoration of the 47th Anniversary of the March 18, 1968’s infamous Jabidah Massacre at Corrigidor Island, Anak Mindanao Party-list Representative Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, asked this question, “Must we wait for another 34 years, hundreds of thousands more dead Filipinos and millions more homeless and traumatized by war”?
The
complete details of Rep. Hataman privilege speech run as follows:
Mr.
Speaker, distinguished colleagues, honorable members of the House of
Representatives, ladies and gentlemen, Assalamu alaikum Warahmatullahi taala
Wabarakatuh. Good afternoon.
“Over the
last eight years as a result of the so-called Muslim Mini-War in the
Philippines, more than hundred thousand Filipino Muslims have lost their lives,
over two hundred fifty thousand have come as refugees in the neighboring Sabah
State of Malaysia, and more than one million have been displaced and rendered
homeless…”
These
words, ladies and gentlemen, are not new. In fact, they are not mine. These
were from a speech given by Ninoy Aquino in Jeddah in May 1981— 13 years after
the Jabidah Massacre, which happened March 18, 1968. Today is its 47th Year
Commemoration. Again I quote:
“On the
other side, according to President Marcos himself, about ten to 11,000 thousand
Filipino soldiers have been killed over the last eight years as a result of the
battle in the Southern Philippines…the Philippine government under President
Marcos calls the Muslim fighters as rebels, he calls them outlaws, he calls
them insurrectionists, and he calls them secessionists or far worst – traitors
to the Philippines. The Muslims on the other hand see themselves as patriots,
as holy warriors, birth right of self-determination from infidel attacks. It is
most unfortunate that Filipinos are fighting against Filipinos today.”
These
words, uttered 34 years ago, rings true to this very day. So we ask: why? What
did we miss? What have we not learned?
From 2002
to 2013 alone—prior to the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the
Bangsamoro in 2014—3.5 million Filipinos were displaced, a large majority
concentrated in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. 3.5 million
Filipinos—that is more than twice the population of the city of Manila
Must we
wait for another 34 years, hundreds of thousands more dead Filipinos and
millions more homeless and traumatized by war?
We need
Peace and we need it now. We, who have long been living in fear and conflict.
We, who are more familiar with the sounds of guns in our fields than the sounds
of bells in our schools; we, who are more experienced in building tents in
evacuation areas than building decent homes in our communities.
We need
peace, we need it now, and this Peace we hold in our hands, honorable members
of this august body.
Perhaps,
for many of us legislators, and for majority of our fellow Filipinos, the
Bangsamoro Basic Law is just a piece of legislation. But for us, the Bangsamoro
people, this is the key to our aspirations, the recognition of our rights and
identity, an acknowledgement of the historical injustices committed against us
as a people, a recognition of our history and heritage, an acceptance of who we
are and that we do not need to give up our identity to belong to this nation,
that we are as much a Filipino as any other Filipino.
This is
what the BBL is to us. It is a product of foremost, 17 years of negotiations
between the Government of the Philippines
But even as
such, we know it is not perfect and that as legislators, it is our duty and
responsibility to scrutinize every line, every word, every letter of the
proposed law. By all means, let us do that. Our only prayer is for us to not
lose sight of what this piece of legislation is all about – an integral
component of a peace process, an enabling law towards the realization of a
peace agreement. Thus, our earnest appeal, to remain consistent with the spirit
of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
Yes, we
understand the anger after Mamasapano and we are one with the nation in calling
for justice for all the victims, including the innocent civilians, most
especially, the 8 year old girl, Sarah Panangolang, who died in the same
incident. Justice is due to every soul, regardless of faith, or sex or age or
line of work.
But must we
choose between Justice and Peace? Must we give up one in favor of the other? Is
there no way we can give Justice to all who claim it and still give Peace to
those who seek it? Can’t Justice and Peace come together, especially when this
Peace is also in response to the decades of and continuing Injustices committed
against those who yearn for it?
Some of us
say, because of Mamasapano, we must give up the BBL. Napakadali pong sabihin,
ngunit napaka hirap pong pakinggan at tanggapin para sa amin na halos buong
buhay ay inalay na sa usaping pangkapayapaan na siyang nagbunga ng BBL. I
started as a peace worker in 1997, then as a student activist. Five children
after, we are now about to see a conclusion to the peace talks, only to be
hostaged by an incident which is neither our fault nor something we asked for.
Some say
because of Mamasapano, we must give up the BBL, because the MILF cannot be
trusted. I am not an MILF Your Honor, I cannot speak in their behalf. But allow
me to speak as a Moro Filipino.
September
2008, during the Holy Month of Ramadhan, the Mandi family were onboard one of
the boats ferrying civilians who left their village upon seeing military planes
hovering above them. With their parents, were the Mandi children Aida 17,
Bailyn 10, King 8, Dayang 6, and Faiza 1 year old. All of them died, together
with their father, when their boat was hit by a rocket from one of the planes
of the Philippine Air Force. This was in Datu Salibu, Maguindanao.
As a Moro I
ask, was there a nationwide demand for Justice for them? Was there a call to
stop the peace talks because the Philippine government cannot be trusted based
on the actions of some of its troops? I ask, magkaiba po ba ang halaga ng buhay
nila sa buhay ng iba nating kababayan? Sila, na mga inosenteng sibilyan, at
walang sinumpaang tungkuling paglingkuran ang bayan? Their only fault was to be
in the wrong place at the wrong time, and yet, only a few human rights and
peace advocates were interested to know their story and seek justice for them,
which to this day, has not been served.
As a Moro I
ask, will we, as a people, be made accountable for the Mamasapano incident?
Will we be held responsible for what some of us think the MILF did?
Yes, the
BBL is a product of the peace process between the GPH and the MILF, but what it
contains is the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people, and not solely the
interests of the MILF. Although we were not in the formal structures of
negotiation, we as peace workers and advocates of the Bangsamoro people’s right
to self-determination have ownership of the BBL. It is an ownership we claim
regardless of what the MILF or the GPH or whoever thinks or says so.
The
Bangsamoro Basic Law is not just about the MILF. It is about us. That is why,
when we hear questions like, “Do they have the capacity to run a regional
government? Are you ready for democracy? How can we entrust such and such to
them?” These questions are not only directed to the MILF Your Honors, but also
to us, Moro members of this august body, us, you all refer to as your esteemed
colleagues.
The
Bangsamoro Basic Law, as contemplated in the Comprehensive Agreement is not a
solution that will only temporarily stop the bombs and the bullets. More than
anything, it is about us trying to create a solution that will allow us to live
alongside each other peacefully, while working towards our political, economic,
social and cultural development, the realization of our right to
self-determination.
It is not
just another piece of legislation. We can have all the brilliant lawyers argue
as to the legal provisions and their interpretations, but we pray that we also
consider, how much it means to us as a people, the historical perspective of
the Bangsamoro struggle it seeks to address. Kilalanin nyo po ang Bangsamoro,
kilalanin niyo po kami. Now more than ever, we call for a deeper understanding
of the Bangsamoro people and their cause, for the greatest injustice we
legislators can do, is to enact or not enact a law, for a people we do not
know, we did not care to know.
Lastly,
allow me to humbly remind all of us, that enacting the BBL will not give rise
to the Bangsamoro regional government, the decision of the people will. As
legislators, our duty is to deliberate and enact the best law we can offer
them, a law that will best serve the interest of everyone, not just the
Bangsamoro and Mindanao but the whole country and our people. But at the end of
the day, it will be them who will have the final say, whether or not to accept
the law we passed. But to end it now, to not enact the law, is to decide for
them and deny them that opportunity to make the decision.
Yesterday,
the Honorable Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and other members of this House, met
with the delegates of the Basilan Young Leaders Program. They were asked, what
do they think of those who say the BBL is not the answer to the Muslim Mindanao
problem. One young woman in her early twenties stood up and said, “Taga Basilan
po ako, taga doon. Siguro po, kung may nakakaalam kung ano ang makabubuti o
hindi para sa amin, kami po yun..” Another young man stood up and said, he
himself was a victim of the armed conflict caught in a crossfire, and after
narrating his story asked, “Ano po ba ang mawawala sa inyo kung ibigay nyo sa
amin ang Kapayapaan?”
Sana, lahat
tayo, ay magkaroon ng pagkakataong marinig sila. Listen. Hear. And so as I end
my message, I appeal to everyone, to please, just listen and let us allow
ourselves to absorb what each is saying, without the need to urgently respond
or ask, just allow our words to sink in until it reaches our hearts.
And this
time, instead of just hearing ourselves, may I ask each one of us to listen, to
these people, men, women and children of Maguindanao, displaced by the recent
conflict in their homeland. Sana po, Sila, hindi kaming mga politiko o ang mga
rebolusyonaryo ang maalala natin sa tuwing pinag uusapan ang Kapayapaan para sa
Bangsamoro.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/793-must-we-wait-for-another-34-years-hundreds-of-thousands-more-dead-filipinos-and-millions-more-homeless-and-traumatized-by-war-rep-sitti-djalia-hataman
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